Information about ongoing election process reported by Human Rights Center’s observers from different election districts by 21:30 pm
October 8, 2016
Today, Human Rights Center observes the Parliamentary Elections in four regions of Georgia. The monitors and journalists of the Center are deployed in the conflict-affected villages of Shida Kartli and in Gori; in Imereti region - in the conflict affected villages in Sachkhere municipality; Kvemo Kartli region - in the villages compactly inhabited with ethnic minorities in Gardabani, Marneuli and Bolinisi municipalities and in Rustavi; Kakheti region – in the villages of Pankisi Gorge.
Human Rights Center believes the elections are going on in peaceful and fair environment by now. The observed violations cannot impact the election results. Absolute majority of violations is caused by low competence of the election commission members and poor knowledge of the election law. These problems were particularly common in Kvemo Kartli region, in the villages compactly inhabited by ethnic minority people.
Human Rights Center calls on the MIA to promptly respond to the physical abuse fact of the HRIDC observer in the Keshalo village precinct # 37 in Marneuli DEC # 35 and punish the commission chairman and his deputy in accordance to the law. The CEC shall also start administrative liability against the commission members.
Extraordinary activity of the coordinators and agitators of the political parties nearby the polling stations is very alarming. Mostly, the coordinators of the ruling party Georgian Dream are very active in this direction. Coordinators of the ruling party Georgian Dream and leading opposition party UNM are particularly active. In some cases the coordinators opposed each other that created threats for the fair elections.
By 21:30 the Human Rights Center’s observers registered 14 complaints and recorded more than 10 remarks in the log-book.
In the precinct # 37 in Keshalo village, Marneuli DEC # 35 a voter wanted to take the envelope out of the polling station and the HRIDC observer gave remark to the commission chairman about it. In respond to that, the commission chairman Taya Dzveliev and his deputy started shouting at the observer and physically abused him.
The incident was video-recorded by the observer of the Public Movement Multinational Georgia, which shows how the deputy chairman Samed Gajiev is shouting at the HRIDC observer in Russian language and pushes him by hand. The physical abuse continued after the video-recording, which was proved by other witnesses too.
Head of the legal aid service at Human Rights Center Tamar Avaliani reported the police about the incident and soon arrived at the Keshalo precinct # 37. She reported that our observer has injuries; his notebook was damaged. The police took the observer and witnesses to the police station, where they were questioned about the incident.
Human Rights Center informed the CEC about the incident.
Police started investigation under Article 162 Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (interference in the elections, referendum or plebiscite), that is punished by imprisonment up to 2 years.
In the Old Kveshi village precinct # 20 in Bolnisi DEC # 33, HRIDC mobile group observed that the precinct was temporarily closed and the voters were waiting in the corridor.
The precinct was closed for the dinner of the commission members. The mobile group reported that the commission members had laid party on the election documents and split water over them. Afterwards they tried to dry the papers.
HRIDC observer filed the complaint, but the commission did not register it. The observer contacted the CEC and they promised to send representative to the precinct. One hour later, the observer called the CEC where she was told the DEC chairperson had visited the precinct and everything was fine. HRIDC observer claims the information is not correct because she did not leave the precinct and nobody had come to the polling station from the district election commission. The observer requested registration of the complaint that irritated the commission members and called the CEC. They said the observer hindered their work. In respond to that the CEC requested them to register the complaint.
HRIDC observer reported that the commission members still could not register her complaint because they did not know the procedures.
The observer stated the information about violations is recoded in Georgian alphabet in the log-book but the words are in Azerbaijani language that is unclear for observers. The observer recorded remarks in the log-book about this and other violations.
The observer reported that a foreigner entered the precinct without observer’s badge but the commission members allowed him in as an observer. The HRIDC observer recorded a remark about this fact too.
HRIDC observer arrived at the Aziskendi village polling station # 14 in Marneuli municipality at 8:00 am. He said the lists of voters were not yet placed on the walls by that time. After the observer reminded the commission members about the lists, they pasted the lists in the polling station.
Besides that, the regulator of the flow did not mark the voters. After the obserrver’s remark, he started marking of the people.
According to the reports of the HRIDC observer, there was not control paper in the mobile ballot box in the Aziskendi village precinct # 14.
Besides abovementioned violations, unidentified people without badges were observed inside the polling station. HRIDC observer asked their names and they said they were agitators. After the HRIDC observer’s request they left the precinct and moved to the yard, where they were meeting the mini-buses, which used to bring people in groups. The agitators gave instructions to people. Several voters tried to repeatedly vote.
The observer filled in two complaints but the commission refused to register them claiming that the observer had to write the complaint in Azerbaijani language. After three calls to the CEC, the commission members were demanded from the CEC representatives to register the complaints. Afterwards, the commission members said “the Xerox was not working.” But as it was found out they had not plugged in the Xerox machine at all. After much effort of the observer, she managed to register the complaints.
According to the information of Human Rights Center, the commission members in the Aziskendi village polling station # 14 are not competent and made many mistakes from the very opening of the precinct.
On October 7, from 20:00 pm until October 9, 20:00 pm the de-facto authority of South Ossetia temporarily blocked the so-called checkpoints on the ABL. The decision was made by the de-facto security service of South Ossetia in relation with the ongoing parliamentary elections in Georgia. Regardless the closed checkpoints, citizens of Georgia living in the Russia-occupied territories try to cross the ABL and participate in the ballots in the villages under jurisdiction of Georgia.
Human Rights Center’s observer in Jria village, Sachkhere municipality reported that one of the commission members in the polling station # 46 DEC # 50 could not cross the ABL and implement her duties as a commission member. He lives in the occupied village of Kardzmani.
As observers report, 70 out of 450 registered voters in the polling station # 46 in Jria live in the occupied territory. Part of them arrived in Jria on October 7 to participate in the ballot; second part of voters cannot participate in the elections because of the locked checkpoints. The same situation is in Perevi village – polling station # 43, where 74 out of 773 registered voters live in the occupied territory.
HRIDC observer arrived at the Tirdznisi village polling station # 62 at 8:00 am. The commission members declared he could not enter the precinct after 7:00 am.
Human Rights Center addressed the District Election Commission with the request to allow the observer into the precinct and the problem was resolved. The commission members said they were not informed that the observers could enter the precincts after 7:00 am too.
HRIDC observer reported that in Shida Kartli region, in the village of Nikozi so-called coordinators are standing at the precincts and record names of the voters, who arrive at the PS. They said they represent the Georgian Dream and it is very important for their political party to record who came to the elections and who has not.
After the remark from the HRIDC observer they stopped recording the names but record the number of the voters who come to the precinct.
Besides the abovementioned violation, the observer reported that the precinct is so small that all observers cannot enter there that creates problems for the transparency of the ballot process.
HRIDC observer reported that by 8:00 am demonstration protocol was not placed on the wall in the Precinct # 58 in Gori DEC # 42. After the observer’s remark, the commission members said they did not know that the demonstration protocol shall be pasted on the wall. As a result, the problem was resolved.
Observers of different organizations were sitting near the ballot box in the mentioned polling station. After the HRIDC observer reminded them that the observers shall be seated far from the box, only one commission member stayed near the box.
Human Rights Center’s mobile group reported that in the Keshalo village precinct # 38 in Marneuli DEC # 35 the precinct election commission (PEC) deputy chairman Gazanter Aliyev followed several voters into the booth and indicated whom to mark on the paper. HRIDC observers requested him to leave the booth but the voter had already marked the political subject which the deputy chair had asked him.
HRIDC observer, who is stationed in the precinct # 38 since morning, said that the deputy chair had acted in similar way in other cases too. The observer registered a complaint about the violation.
The HRIDC observer observed one more violation in the precinct # 38 – three voters were allowed into the polling station without checking their inking. Based on the remark of the HRIDC observer the voters did not participate in the ballot; the observer filed a complaint about all these violations.
A registrar in the precinct # 44 in Marneuli DEC # 35 Nirali Garajaev did not check IDs of the voters. Despite the HRIDC observer’s remark he continued the violation. The registrar registered one voter with outdated ID document.
Besides that, Nirali Garajaev called one of the voters, who was already in the booth, to come back to the registration table because he had forgotten to seal the paper. When the voter returned to the table, he had already marked the candidate and the registrar sealed the already marked ballot paper publicly. The commission chairman said they had not breached the law because it was forbidden to put the paper in the box without seal.
HRIDC observer has problem of communication with the commission chairman because he answers his questions in Azerbaijani language and does not feel responsible to figure out the problem.
The precinct is very small and overcrowded and 3-4 persons stand near the box. It hinders transparency of the ballot process.
HRIDC observer registered 2 complaints in this particular precinct.
In the precinct # 7 of the Marneuli DEC # 36 the inking verification device went wrong and voters were not allowed in. The commission chairman applied to the DEC for help and they said the device shall be delivered from the CEC that is time-consuming issue. Because of the delay, more and more people gather in front of the precinct that may cause chaos and tension in the precinct.
HRIDC observer reported that the election process was resumed half an hour later after the ink verifying device was delivered by the DEC members to the precinct.
Based on the information disseminated by Human Rights Center, representatives of the Public Defender’s Office also arrived at the precinct and inquired the reasons of the suspended ballot process.
In Takalo village precinct # 44 in Marneuli DEC # 35 a man wearing the Georgian Dream’s T-shirt was allegedly agitating in Azerbaiujani language. Despite the requests of the HRIDC observer and the commission chairman, he did not leave the territory of the precinct.
The observer sent the video to humanrights.ge, which shows that the commission chairman is kind towards the Georgian Dream’s supporter. Because of that person, the chairman and the media representatives had an argument.
By midday a lot of people gathered in the territory around the Takalo village precinct # 44 and because of the noise the commission members and observers cannot work properly. After the commission chairman’s warning that he would call patrol police, the people left the area.
According to the information provided by the mobile group of Human Rights Center, people are standing in front of almost all precincts in Pankisi Gorge and record names of the voters, who arrive at the precincts. Georgian Dream’s activists conduct propaganda in favor of the ruling party in front the precincts and tell voters that Georgian Dream is the best political party.
Voters used to take envelopes into the booth in Omalo village precinct. After the HRIDC observer gave remark to the commission, this violation was eradicated.
HRIDC observer reported that Tkviavi village precinct # 92 in Gori DEC # 42 was opened 13 minutes later. Initially, the commission chairperson was aggressive towards observers – forbade them to approach the registrars and shouted at other commission members. After the remarks of the HRIDC observer, the chairman calmed down.
In the territory of the same precinct, the activists of the Georgian Dream and Irakli Okruashvili’s political party had argument and verbally insulted each other. The tension did not turn into physical controversy.
FYI: Tkviavi is native village of Irakli Okruashvili, former Defense Minister of Georgia and leader of the Georgian Party.
Commission members and observers had verbal controversy in Takalo village precinct # 44 in Marneuli DEC # 35. Human Rights Center’s observer reported that the opposing parties were arguing in Azerbaijani language for what she could not understand what was the reason of the controversy. Afterwards, one of them (member of the Free Zone) told her the commission members suggested the voters to mark 41.
HRIDC observer suggested the observer from the Free Zone to lodge complaint about the violation but he said it was useless to write anything because “nobody will check it.”
As HRIDC observer reported, besides that incident very often female voters, who are not disabled and do not have relevant documents, are accompanied by persons who has already voted in the precinct and followed them into the booth.
There are cases when men accompany their wives and enter booths together with them. The observer said one man first accompanied his sister and then tried to accompany his mother too. But the HRIDC observer tried to warn the commission chairperson who was not in the precinct in that moment. Having returned back, the chairperson demanded the man to leave the polling station. The HRIDC observer registered complaint about this violation.
In the Tchapala village polling station # 40 in Bolnisi DEC # 33 registrar did not request voters to provide IDs and did not check their documents.
At the same precinct, the regulator of the flow could not resist big wave of voters and they rushed into the polling station. The commission chairman insulted the voters.
Human Rights Center’s observer reported that the commission members say some voters are illiterate and they need help in the booth.
In that moment, CEC representative was in the precinct and witnessed how commission member accompanied a voter into the booth and suggested to mark concrete election subject. The CEC member gave verbal rebuke to the commission member.
Supporters of the Georgian Dream and UNM had physical controversy in Nikozi. The verbal controversy and insulting turned into physical quarrel. HRIDC observer reported that the police could not neutralize the situation. The incident lasted several minutes and finally the family members took the incident participants home. Nobody was arrested for the incident.
UNM observer was expelled from the Tkviavi village precinct # 64. The PEC chairman said the observer was expelled because he was video-recording the voters list. The UNM observer denied the accusation and claimed that he did not record the lists. Human Rights Center video-recorded how the observer was expelled from the precinct though he was not physically abused during the incident.
The HRIDC observer in the Tchapala village polling station # 40 in Bolnisi DEC # 33 reported that people were watching ongoing election process through the windows from the yard.
Suddenly, one man rushed into the polling station and started arguing with the commission members. He blamed the registrar in instructing the voters to vote for the UNM candidate. Afterwards, the man indicated the commission members at number 5 writing on the table – the UNM election number and the commission members immediately erased it.
Later it was cleared up that the man who broke into the polling station is deputy district governor Longinoz Gasanov.
HRIDC observer called on the commission chairman to request external people to leave the windows and recorded the note in the log-book. The chairman took the remark into consideration.
HRIDC observer reported that in the precinct # 46 in Samtredo village, Bolnisi DEC # 33, the election process was going on in peaceful environment while OSCE observers were on the place.
After they left the precinct, the commission members left the polling station and started argument with voters about political issues. HRIDC reporter prepared a complaint about the fact and the situation improved; the commission members returned to the precinct.
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